are approaching. Through their false patriotism, people like you plunge a needle into the hearts of those unhappy victims of disaster who are much in need of compassion, soothing, and healing, and deserving of them. You hit them over the head! You mercilessly destroy all their hopes! You cast them into absolute despair! Is this nationalist patriotism? Is that how you provide benefits for the nation?
The elderly, the third group, forms a third. They are approaching the grave, drawing close to death, growing distant from the world, coming close to the hereafter. Are their benefits, lights, and consolation to be found in listening to the cruel adventures of tyrants like Hulagu and Jenghiz? Do they have a place in your modern-type movements which make the hereafter forgotten, bind a person to the world, are without result, and have the meaning of decline while being superficially progress? Is the light of the hereafter to be found in the cinema? Is true solace to be found in the theatre? If nationalist patriotism is in effect to slaughter them with an immaterial knife, and give them the idea that “you are being impelled towards everlasting nothingness,” and to transform the grave, which they consider to be the gate of mercy, into the dragon’s mouth, and to breathe in their ears: “You too will enter there!” – if, while these unhappy elderly people want respect from patriotism, this is what it consists of, I seek refuge with God a hundred thousand times from such patriotism!
The fourth group are the children. They want kindness from nationalist patriotism; they await compassion. Also, in respect of their weakness, impotence, and powerlessness, their spirits may expand through knowing a compassionate and powerful Creator; their abilities may unfold in a happy manner. If instilled with the reliance on God that springs from belief and with the submission of Islam that may withstand the awesome fears and worldly situations of the future, these innocents may look eagerly to life. Will this be achieved by teaching them things about the progress of civilization, with which they have little connection, and the principles of lightless materialist philosophy, which destroys their morale and extinguishes their spirits? If man consisted only of an animal body and he had no mind in his head, perhaps these European principles which you fancifully call civilized education and national education could have afforded these innocent children some worldly benefit in the form of temporary childish amusement. Since they will be cast onto the surging tumult of life, and since they are human beings, they will certainly have far-reaching desires in their small hearts and large goals will be born in their little heads. Since the reality is thus, compassion requires that in the face of their infinite want and impotence an extremely powerful support and inexhaustible place of